Three- and four-way valves

ABSTRACT

VALVES ARE DISCLOSED THAT HAVE A MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A CHAMBER OPEN AT ONE END IN THE CASE OF A THREE-WAY VALVE AND AT BOTH ENDS IN THE CASE OF A FOUR-WAY VALVE. THE CHAMBERS HAVE AN INTERNAL SHOULDER ACCESSIBLE THROUGH EACH OPEN END AND PORTS ON EACH SIDE OF THEIR SHOULDERS, THE PORTS REMOTE FROM THE OPEN ENDS BEING INLETS. SEATS EACH HAVING A CENTRAL PORT, ARE HELD AGAINST THE SHOULDERS BY CLOSURES FOR THE OPEN ENDS, EACH CLOSURE ALSO INCLUDING A SEAT HAVING A CENTRAL RELIEF PORT. THE VALVES HAVE STEMS EXTENDING FREELY THROUGH THEIR CENTRAL PORETS, EACH STEM PROVIDED WITH SEAT ENGAGING HEADS SPACED FOR ALTERNATE ENGAGEMENT WITH AN INLET AND A RELIEF SEAT. ONE PARTICULAR COMBINATION OF A VALVE AND AN AIR-OPERATED DEVICE AND VARIOUS MODES OF VALVE OPERATION ARE ALSO DISCLOSED.

Sept. 20, 1971 D. G. WAY 3,605,804

THREE AND FOUR WAYVALVES Sept. 20, 1971 n. G. wAY 3,605,804

THREE AND FOUR WAY VALVES Filed OCT.. 9, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .E,g.i.

57A 59A f/A United States Patent m 3,605,804 THREE- AND FOUR-WAY VALVES David G. Way, Boxborough, Mass., assignor to Tapeler Corporation, Newton, Mass. Filed Oct. 9, 1969, Ser. No. 864,985 Int. Cl. F16k 11/02 U.S. Cl. 13T-596.2 13 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Valves are disclosed that have a member provided with a chamber open at one end in the case of a three-way valve and at both ends in the case of a four-way valve. The chambers have an internal shoulder accessible through each open end and ports on each side of their shoulders, the ports remote from the open ends being inlets. Seats each having a central port, are held against the shoulders by closures for the open ends, each closure also including a seat having a central relief port. The valves have stems extending freely through their central ports, each stem provided with seat engaging heads spaced for alternate engagement with an inlet and a relief seat. One partlcular combination of a valve and an air-operated device and various modes of valve operation are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to threeand four-way valves.

While there are many threeand four-way valves that are satisfactory for many purposes, there are none adapted to meet low cost or small size requirements and it is the particular objective of the present invention to provide threeand four-way valves that meet those requirements.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained by providing a valve consisting of a member having a chamber open at least at one end, each such open end including a shoulder exposed within it. The chamber has first and second ports opening into it, one on each side of the shoulder. The first port is the inlet and the second port being between the shoulder and the open end is the port that is to be placed in communication with the device to be operated or controlled by the valve. A first seat is supported by the shoulder and has a central port and is held in place by the closure for the open end of the chamber. The outer surface of the closure has a seat with a central relief port. A stem extends freely through the central ports of the seats and has valve heads, one for each seat. The heads are spaced to limit stern travel in either direction and to place the rst and relief ports alternately in communication with the second port.

When the chamber is open at only one end, it is a three-way valve and when it is open at both ends, it is a four-way valve with the valve stern extending freely through the central ports of the seats at both ends with the valve heads providing for the delivery of air through one second port while air is being relieved through the other second port.

Another objective is to provide a valve construction where same parts may be used in both the threeand fourway valves.

Yet another objective of the invention is to provide such valves that are adapted to a wide range of controls and to be manufactured in a wide range of sizes.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown embodiments of the invention illustrative of these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side view of an air-operated device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an increased scale, through a portion of the handle of the device showing a 3,605,804 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 three-way valve in accordance with the invention, in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is a like view but with the valve open;

FIG. 4 is a lengthwise section of a four-way valve in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of a four-way valve; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating yet another embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 1, an air operated device is shown as having a housing portion 10 and a downwardly inclined hollow handle portion 11. The housing portion 10 supports the cylinder 12 of an air-operated piston 13 operatively connected to a mechanism, for example, a mechanism in accordance with Letters Pat. No. 3,455,769 for forming and applying a length of pressure sensitive tape from a roll 14 to a surface against which the device is held. The piston 13 is yieldably held by a spring 15 in a first position in which the carriage 16 of the mechanism is inoperatively positioned. Air from a suitable source is delivered by a flexible conduit 17 to a generally indicated valve 18 located in the handle portion 11. The valve 18 is of the three-way type and a conduit 19 effects communication between it and the interior of the cylinder 12.

Such a device is well adapted to meet many one-handed operations where the device has to be placed on an article and then operated to apply a length of tape thereto, to seal it for example, provided that the valve is dimensioned to be incorporated in the handle and so constructed that its operation is both easy and reliable.

The valve 18 is detailed in FIGS. 2 and 3 and consists of a body 20 secured in any convenient manner in the handle portion 11 and having a chamber 21 open at one end and provided |with an internal shoulder 22 exposed from the open end. The body has ports opening into its chamber 21, the first port 23 between the shoulder 22 and the closed end of the chamber 21 and the second port 24 between the shoulder 22 and the open end thereof.

An annular seal 25 is interposed between the shoulder 22 and a seat 26 having a central port 27. A closure 28 includes a tubular portion 29 dimensioned for entry into the chamber 21 and to anchor the seat 26 and the seal 25 against the shoulder 22. The portion 29- is shown as having a port 30 in registry -with the port 24. It will be noted that the tubular portion and the chamber 21 have an interlocking key arrangement indicated at K to ensure such registry. The exposed surface of the closure 28 has an annular groove 31 for a seal 32, the groove 31 surrounding the central relief port 33 extending through a central boss 34 in axial alignment with the central port 27 of the seat 26.

A stern 35 extends freely through the port 33 and has an outwardly tapering, centering portion 36 extending freely through the port 27 and terminating in an integral head 37 underlying the seat 26 and Kprovided with an annular groove 38 carrying a seal 39, shown as identical to the seal 32, for engagement with the seat 26 to block flow between the ports 23 and 24.

At the other end of the stem 35, there is a knob 40 exposed and extending through an opening 41 in the undersurface of the handle portion thus to be operable by a nger of the hand by which the device is held. The knob 40 has its undersurface recessed as at 42 and functions as a valve head engageable with the seal 32 to block the flo-w of air through the relief port 33 when the knob 40 is manually seated against the seal 32. When the knob 40 is freed, air entering through the port 23 seats the head 37 against the seat 26 and positions the knob 40 away from its seat so that air may escape from the port 24 through the passage 33.

It Iwill be appreciated that the seat 26 is rst assembled on the stem 36 which is then passed through the passage ACC 33 of the closure 28 and the head or knob 40 fixed thereon, an arrangement providing for ease of assembly with parts that can be molded from suitable plastics to ensure low cost and reliable functioning.

The valve illustrated by FIG. 4 is a four-way valve shown in its actuated position and is essentially a compound of that just described with its body 43 provided with a chamber 44 open at both ends and having shoulders 45, each exposed from a different end thereof` The body 43 has ports opening into its chamber 44, a first port 46 between the shoulders 45, and a pair of second ports 47, each between a shoulder 45 and a different end of the chamber 44. An annular seal 4S is interposed between each shoulder 45 and a first seat 49 having a central port 50, one first seat for each shoulder 45.

Closures 51 are lprovided, one for each end of the chamber 44. Each closure 51 has a tubular portion 52 dimensioned for entry into the chamber 44 and to anchor the proximate seat 49 against a seat shoulder 45 with the interposed seal 48 suitably compressed. Each portion 52 has a port 53 in registry with the appropriate port 47. Each closure 51 also has an outwardly opening cylindrical chamber 54. The outer face of each closure 51 has an annular groove 55 for a seal 56, each groove 55 surrounding a port 57 extending through a central, inwardly disposed boss 58 -with |which each closure 51 is provided.

A stem 59 extends freely through the ports 57 and has outwardly tapering portions 60 extending freely through the ports 50 and terminating in a head z61 whose opposite faces have annular grooves 62 for seals 63. The stem 59 and head 61 may be formed by joining the heads of two stems used in the previously described three-way valve. Axial movement of the stem 59 is limited by the engagement of the seals of the head 61 first with one seat 49 and then the other with one seat opening 50 being closed and the other open with respect to the first port 46 in each position. Each end of the stem 59 is under the control of a head 64 slidably entrant of a chamber 54 and having a marginal shoulder 65. Each chamber S4 has radial relief ports 66.

One head 64 is shown as disposed in one chamber 54 with its marginal shoulder 65 exposed to provide a seat for one end of a spring 67 backed by a cap 68 closing that chamber while the other head `64 is reversely disposed and under the control of an actuator that may be of any desired type but is shown, for convenience, as a push rod 69 extending through the end of a cap 70 and attached to the proximate head 64. The spring 67 normally maintains the valve in the opposite position from that shown.

The valve illustrated by FIG. may be the same as that shown in FIG. 4 but has a different mode of actuation. Corresponding parts are, accordingly, distinguished by the sufiix addition A to the appropriate reference numeral. In this embodiment of the invention, the chamber 54A is provided -with a piston 71 having a sealing ring 72. The chamber 54A also has a port 73 to which an air conduit 74 from a desired source, a three-way valve for instance, is connected thereto.

The valve of FIG. 6 may fbe that substantially shown in FIG. 4 except that it is held in its normal position by an air cushion. Corresponding parts are, accordingly, distinguished by the sufiix addition B to the appropriate reference numerals. To that end, the chamber 54B provides an air cushion in back of the piston 71B with the cushion maintained by air continuously delivered thereto through the conduit 74B.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that three and four-Way valves in accordance with the invention are well adapted to meet a wide range of requirements since they may be made in small sizes, their parts are adapted for economical manufacture and assembly, and are readily adapted to different modes of actuation. Many of the parts may be standardized and when the parts are of a plastic stock they may be quickly and easily cemented together or the assembly may be completed by ultrasonic welding. It will be apparent that valves in accordance with the invention may have either position established manually, pneumatically, or mechanically and that the control of the mechanical means may be a solenoid.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a chamber having an inlet port and open at least at one end, said open end having an outlet port and including a shoulder exposed within that end between said inlet port and the outlet port thereof, a first seat supported lby said shoulder and having a central port, and a closure seating the first seat against the exposed shoulder, the outer surface of the closure including a second seat having a central relief port, said valve also including a stem extending freely through the central ports of the seats to provide passages therethrough, said stem including valve heads, one for each seat and engageable therewith, said heads being spaced to limit stem travel in either direction to place said inlet port and the relief port of said open end alternately in communication with the outlet port thereof, said closure including a boss extending inwardly of the chamber through which the port extends and by which the stem is loosely guided, the opening through the first seat being larger than the opening through the second seat, and the junction between the head underlying the first seat including a stem centering portion.

2. The valve of claim 1 in which the head that underlies the first seat and the second seat each have an annular groove, both grooves of the same diameter, each groove for an appropriate one of the seals.

3. The valve of claim 1 in which the first seat is dimensioned to be a slidable fit in the chamber.

4. The valve of claim 1 in which the stem, first seat, closure, and second head are a sub-assembly.

5. A four-way valve comprising a member having a chamber open at both ends and including shoulders, one exposed within each end, said chamber having a first port between said shoulders, said first port being an inlet port, and second ports, one between each shoulder and the proximate open chamber end and being an outlet port, first seats, each having a central port and supported by an appropriate one of said shoulders, a closure for each open end of the chamber and including a portion fitting therein and seating the appropriate first seat against its shoulder without blocking the appropriate second port, the outer surface of each closure including a second seat having a port centrally thereof, a stem extending freely through the central ports to provide passages through the seats, seat engaging heads, one underlying each first seat and connected to said stem and one overlying each second seat and operatively connected to the ends of said stem, and seals, one between each first seat and the appropriate shoulder and one between each second seat and the appropriate head and operable to block flow through the central port of the proximate seat, the valve heads being so spaced that when either overlying head is in engagement with the proximate second seat, the remote underlying head is in engagement with the corresponding first seat and the other heads are spaced from the seats with which they are engageable thus to effect communication between the first port and one second port and between the other second port and the port through the proximate second seat.

6. The four-way valve of claim 5 in which the first seats and the closures are identical and the stem includes two identical sections each including an underlying head, the underlying heads being joined together.

7. The four-way valve of claim 5 in which each closure includes an outwardly disposed cylindrical portion having relief ports, each overlying head ybeing a slidable fit in a cylindrical portion, and actuating means in control of each head.

8. The four-way valve of claim 7 in which the cylindrical portions are identical.

9. The four-way valve of claim 7 in which the actuating means for one head is a spring.

10. The four-way valve of claim 7 in which one of the cylindrical portions is a closed chamber having a port to be placed in communication with a source of air under pressure, the head in -the closed chamber being a piston.

11. The four-way valve of claim 10 in which the air operated piston normally holds the valve stem in one position.

12. The four-way valve of claim 10 in which the air operated piston is operable to move the valve stem out of its normal position and into a second position.

13. The four-way valve of claim 7 in which one of the portions has an end cap, and an actuator extends through the end cap in contact with the head in that portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,921,092 8/1933 Newton 137-625.27 2,606,739 8/1952 Gardner 137-625.27X 2,635,623 4/1953 Moiett 137-625.5X 3,326,239 6/ 1967 Saint-Ioanis et al.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner R. J. MILLER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 137-625.27 

